Crimson Dawn
by Diespedes
Summary: Twins seperated at birth. One human.One vampire. How will they cope when they are reunited and vampire princess must play the role of highschool girl? Especially as the danger is not entirely over...
1. Prologue

**A/N This is a fan fiction based on a series of 3 books written by Trisha Baker: Crimson Kiss, Crimson Night and Crimson Shadow. This fic is taking the place of Crimson Shadow, I am changing just about the whole third book but books 1&2 stand as is.**

* * *

**Prologue**

It had just passed midnight and Meghann lay back on the pillows motionless. Her usually pale skin was worn and translucent and her dull red hair lying in damp clumps against her face. She was weak, almost faint from loss of blood, and her blood lust was rapidly rising. That paled however with the sense of terror she felt. They would be coming soon. She realised this secret could not be kept long, and although Simon was old and likely one of the most powerful vampires in existence – even he would have trouble keeping them safe.

She glanced across to the two lace covered bassinets beside her bed, her poor babies. Neither of them would have a normal life. Elizabeth would be hunted for the blood she carried. Mikal would grow up in darkness, forever in hiding – the only mortal in a family of vampires.

The air stirred behind her and a pair of strong arms encircled her waist. She felt herself being lifted onto his lap and suddenly the tight knot of anxiety that had gathered in her stomach dispersed. "Simon…" the name was breathed in a breathy whisper.

"Hush love" he murmured the endearment against her ear lightly nipping the lobe, before releasing her enough that he could unfasten the gold and ruby cufflinks. He rolled up his sleeve to the elbow before offering her his wrist. "Drink" The single word was softly spoken but that didn't make it any less the command it was. A faint smile ghosted across her face as she lowered her head – would he_ never_ learn? Suddenly all other thoughts were swept away under the rising red tide as she opened her mouth and bit down hard.

Meghann woke to the sound of low murmuring; she recognised the voices of her friend Charles Tarleton and her husband – _since when were they on friendly terms?_ Curiosity prickled and she swung her legs across the side of the bed, she wobbled slightly as she used the metal headboard of the bed to pull herself to her feet. Walking almost noiselessly she opened the door and made her way down the hall.

"You will adopt him" Simon made the question sound more like a statement but Lee answered none the less "Of course…I'd be happy to…but…"

"..Simon…" Meghann broke in her voice wavering and reedy, "What is going on here?"

The three men turned towards her, she stood in the door way leaning against the jamb for support, confusion evident on her worn features.

An instant later Simon was beside her "You should be in bed, you are not strong enough to be up yet"

Meghann glared up at him unwilling to be put off "I want to know what is going on here"

He sighed resignedly, lifting her off her feet and carrying her towards a large leather armchair.

As he settled her in his lap she turned towards Charles and his lover Lee Winslow who gazed at her apprehensively. A spike of unease appeared, growing quickly as she turned to face her husband. "Leave us" The command broke Charles and Lee from their reverie as the quickly left the room – Lee glancing concernedly at her before the heavy mahogany doors clicked shut.

Meghann's heart froze as a premonition of dread drifted over her, _what was everyone so afraid to tell her?_ Simon's hand reached out and gripping her chin he slowly turned her head to meet his eyes. His normally pristine appearance was marred by his rumpled shirt and dishevelled hair, his eyes darkened in concern.

"What…" She began to speak, attempting to voice the suspicions quickly mounting inside her; she was abruptly stopped by the finger placed on her lips.

"Just listen first" Simon's voice sounded even, but she had known him along time and detected the faint edge he strove to conceal, her heart jumped in alarm.

"Meghann, I asked Lee to adopt Mikal" he paused for a second before continuing "he is fully human, and would be in constant danger around Elizabeth. The best thing would be for me to take Elizabeth away into hiding and pretend Mikal was the only child" he reached out a hand cupping her cheek and wiping away her tears with the ball of his thumb. "It will only be a little while, just until she is older – once she reaches her potential we will both be able to walk in daylight and no one will dare stand against us" a small grin crossed his features "besides love, it will be comparatively short compared to the forty years we were separated"

Meghann stared hard at him a few seconds before breaking into choking sobs "but I won't be there to see her grow up…"

Simon pulled her tighter into his embrace, and started stroking her hair "I know love, but at least they will be safe"

She lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed straight into his amber eyes "Just promise me…."

"Anything" Simon's reply was instant and sincere.

"Promise me you won't teach her to be a soulless killer" She searched his face for reaction.

"Meghann I promise you I will love her, and she will have the same regard for her human brother as I do. After all he is not like those other mortals – he is my son"

She frowned in response to his words – recognising her concern had not been answered. Then she sighed resignedly recognising the hard glint in his eyes and realising that was the best reply she was going to get.

He continued "Lee can act as his daytime guardian – he is still young enough to delay his transformation a few years. Besides if he adopts Mikal our enemies will assume I deserted him and you in disgust when I discovered he was human"

Her voice tremored, "Are you sure that's not what you are doing?"

Simon looked down at her reassuringly, brushing a kiss across her temple "Don't be foolish little one, how could I ever desert you or my son? I will simply disappear for a few years – everyone will assume I am hiding out after the failure of my plans. He grinned disarmingly "After thinking I have failed for a few years they will be more unprepared and vulnerable when we triumph"

"I'll miss you both _so_ much!" Her voice broke and she started sobbing in earnest. Simon again drew her into his chest and gently kissed her her lips "As I shall miss you"

Meghann stood silently beside Charles and Lee, tears rolling silently down her face as she watched the lights of Simon's Ferrari fade into the distance taking her child and lover away from her. She stared after it, the red lights leaving images on her retina. _What sort of life would her baby have with Simon?_ He had certainly changed since the days she had lived as his consort but would he really be able to raise her to be more than a conscienceless killer? Her musings were interrupted by the faint keening of the blanket wrapped bundle in her arms. She gazed down at the face of her infant son, smoothing down a tuft of his black hair. She knew she had to focus on him now and trust that Simon would do his best for Elizabeth. Steeling herself she turned to smile half-heartedly at Lee and Charles "Lets get back into the house, Mikal is getting cold"


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Elizabeth put down her rapier breathing heavily "You have improved" her usually stoic fencing master stated approvingly.

"I know. Father has been drilling me" She remarked coolly wiping the fine sheen of sweat off her face already breathing evenly.

"What ever Lord Baldevar has shown you has certainly paid off, there is little more I can teach you"

She nodded, calmly excepting the accolade. "If you will excuse me…" she turned and walked out the dojo without further comment.

Climbing up the grand staircase Elizabeth made her way back to her suite of rooms. For as long as she could remember the isolated manor house had been the home she shared with her father, Lord Baldevar, Earl of Lecarrow.

Elizabeth – or Elizabeth Victoria Alexandra Baldevar which was her complete name, had been born a vampire. The only one of her kind in fact. She had always been extraordinary – one of the only two surviving babies born of a vampire mother and the only born vampire in the world.

She did not feel particularly special or extraordinary, Elizabeth just accepted it as normal – it wasn't as if she had anything to compare it to after all. For her life continued much the same as it always had – with few exceptions. She could remember that as a little girl she had spent all of her time in darkness, that more than a glimmer of light could hurt her eyes and burn her delicate skin. Slowly, and over time she had become more and more tolerant of light. Today she could just about stand full sunlight – with no more consequences than a fair skinned human.

This was on its own remarkable as most other vampires would die from _any_ sun exposure and none could survive prolonged contact. Long before her birth her father had theorised that the blood of a born vampire would likely be the "philosopher's stone". The - _elixir_ if you will, that would allow other vampires to walk in the sun.

For this reason her very existence was a jealously guarded secret. Held intact by the combined power of a myriad of blood bonds and the threat of her father's retribution. Personally Elizabeth felt this was overkill, as only a suicidal fool would cross Simon Baldevar.

She understood the need for caution however, as this secret would inevitably overthrow the delicate balance of power that had existed for eons amongst the elder vampires. So here she stood on the precipice of a new world as a whole new species. An experiment decades in the making was finally coming to completion.

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Mikal turned the latch and made his way into the sun-drenched kitchen. A note on the fridge told him that his adopted father Lee had gone to the store for groceries. He grinned suddenly, dimples appearing in his tanned cheeks. It was quite a step forward. Lee had never before failed to be there when he got home from school. The smile faded slightly, they had really tried their best. All that his mother, Lee and Winston wanted for him was a normal life. That had however proved difficult.

With a vampire mother who he only ever saw after dark and raised by his adopted father who was his mother's best friend's lover. Despite his unconventional upbringing he could honestly say he had no complaints. If his mother couldn't always be there for him she made up for it when she could. He had his mother, Lee and Winston, decent looks, was fairly popular at school and had just gotten a Mustang GT500 1965. What more could a 16 year guy old ask for?

There was however, a dark cloud over his life; the feeling of incompleteness the feeling that he didn't completely know himself. When he had turned 4 his mother had sat him down and told him about his absent father and the twin sister he had never met. 12 years on and nothing had changed.

Both his mother and Winston had tried to explain the reason for the separation but he had never fully understood. In part this was because the world of vampires and Elders seemed so very removed from the life he lived. Sure his mother and Winston were vampires, but all that really meant to him was he never saw them in daylight and they never seemed to age.

Mikal wondered what they were like, his dad and his sister. If they would ever return and be a somewhat normal family together.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Simon Baldevar folded up the sleeve of his pristinely white shirt and depressed the plunger, sending the dark liquid coursing through his veins. It had been three weeks since he had started injecting himself with Elizabeth's blood. He could already see the massive improvements it had wrought in him. No longer was he completely at the mercy at the mercy of the sun, forced into a coma-like sleep during daylight.

His age and power had allowed him more lassitude than most vampires, but he had still been completely helpless at midday. Disastrous when it meant he was unable to protect his children against the human minions of his enemies. Particularly for one who had as many enemies as he did. No more though he was now able to wake at any time of day with only a small loss of power. He had also started exposing himself to minute amounts of indirect sunlight, without any terminally adverse effects. He smirked slightly – any consequences that weren't permanently fatal he would be pleased with.

He speculated quietly with growing excitement that given enough time and enough injections he would eventually become totally immune to the sun' rays. That day however would take time to come to fruition. For now it was time to reclaim his family. Reclaim Meghann.

He had been kept from her for far too long. She would start to forget…He wasn't at all worried about her forgetting _him_ – a hundred years could not affect that. She might however forget just how intolerant he was of the men she chose to befriend. The deception they had spread had been effective.

The Elders after a brief investigation to confirm that the child was human and that he had left had left Meghann be. That irritating Delacroix on the other hand was an entirely different matter. Given less than a month he had been snapping at her heels like a lost puppy. He would not be quite so brave when he was reminded once again just who she belonged to.

He had to get to know his son. 16 years of his life he had missed. 16 years that his son was without a father. While he was grateful to Lee and Winston, for helping to raise his son – Mikal was just that _his _son. A son who had desperately needed his guidance. He cursed the meddlesome relics that had forced this unnatural separation.

Getting his life and his family safely back together would just take time. He threw back his head and laughed a slightly sinister sound in the cavernous room. After all he had nothing but time.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"…But Maggie why not?" Jimmy Delacrouix exclaimed. Frustration and impatience evident in his voice, and clearly displayed on his face. They were on their way back after the night's hunt and once again Jimmy had broached The Question. The question he had never gotten a satisfactory answer to, despite his continued persistence. And he _had_ been persistent. In the last 15 years not two days had gone by without him asking at least once.

"Why wont you go out with me?" he gritted his teeth and ran both hands through his shaggy black hair. He took a breath and tried desperately to control his temper. "It's been 16 years since he left you" he continued reasonably, "and for what? All because Mikal was human and not the vampire freak he expected. Never minding that he is a sweet kid" he took another deep breath "Look Maggie all I'm saying is that I've been here for you when he wasn't. I just want a chance to show you how good we could be together."

Maggie sighed, what could she say? She certainly couldn't tell him the truth. There was no way he could keep this secret. If he managed to conceal the horror he would no doubt feel at her perceived betrayed the knowledge would be ripped out of his head. He just wasn't powerful enough, didn't have the self mastery. She winced inwardly, it really didn't help that he had spent more than a year in a catatonic state – courtesy of Simon.

Although she hated to admit it she doubted it would have made the crucial difference. Deep down in her heart of hearts she doubted he would ever be a major power. No matter how many years he survived. Jimmy was just too impulsive and one day it was going to get him killed.

She couldn't tell him any of this of course; it would completely wreck the fragile self-confidence she had struggled to instil in him after his imprisonment. Instead she answered similarly to how she had been answering him for years. "I'm just not interested in getting involved with anyone yet. Besides, you know what Simon promised he would do to anyone I got involved with – just look at what he did to you!"

Jimmy shuddered, his face clouding over. Maggie knew the horrors he was recalling and hated herself for reminding him of them. She had however, no other choice. Even if she had, had any inclination of getting involved with Jimmy again Simon would never allow it. If there was a next time he would make what he had done to Jimmy seem gentle in comparison with what he would do.

Sometimes she wondered if she had imagined it all. The caring, solicitous man Simon had been during her pregnancy. She had even considered whether it was all just an act he had put on. After all she knew what his previous life was like – before he changed. She knew just how important children were to him, the one thing he had truly regretted about his new state. His own blood carrying on the Baldevar name. His legacy.

She felt like a traitor for thinking that way; but as time stretched on and she heard no news of Elizabeth. Nothing from Simon. It left her feeling isolated, vulnerable, and so very alone; despite her son and close friends. Even working as a child psychologist – a career she loved wasn't as fulfilling as it had been in the past. She didn't know how much longer she could continue like this.

Jimmy broke into her reverie "Just think about it. For you it would be worth the risk." Maggie smiled weakly, her heart breaking for the harm she was doing him. The damage she was causing by not telling the truth. He was a decent man and it was wrong to give him false hope. Wrong to keep silent. Years ago she would have spoken up, consequences be damned! Unfortunately for him she was not the same woman he fell in love with. She was a mother now. To protect her children she would willingly sacrifice herself. A choice between him and Elizabeth was no choice at all.


End file.
